13 Conversations About One Thing DVD Review

Picture

The image here does befit the type of movie that this is. The transfer is an anamorphic widescreen 1.85:1 image but feels more like a TV image than a cinematic release - this is probably due to the claustrophobic, studio based cinematography used here and considering the character based movie that this is, it doesn't really bother you when viewing the film. Generally the technical aspects of the transfer are fine, although there was some noticeable dirt in a couple of places and a very bizarre mpeg artefact issue during a scene with Clea Duvall - her blonde hair flickering like a neon light! On the plus side some of the facial close ups were very detailed and realistically coloured making the image feel very lifelike.

Sound

The sound here, like the picture is just what you'd expect from an independent movie. There is a Dolby Digital 2.0 soundtrack which is confined strictly to the front channels but is quite punchy and the incidental music used here sounds very rich. A perfectly functional soundtrack, but nothing more.

Extras

This is a fairly sparse release with only a trailer for this movie and an audio commentary with Jill Sprecher. The commentary is actually very good for those who enjoyed the film - being such a small scale movie and having co-written and directed it, Jill Sprecher is obviously ideally placed to comment on it. She provides plenty of insight into the movie, the various character motivations and plot strands. Even though she is talking on her own there are very few quiet moments and she keeps this interesting throughout.

Verdict

13 Conversations About One Thing is one of those films that slips under the radar and catches you with your guard down. It has excellent acting, a tightly written script and an interesting, multi-dimensional story. The topics it covers can be related to by us all and it has something for everyone to think about long after the final credits have rolled.